Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×
 


Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
 
Old 06-13-2009, 01:03 PM   #1
Rivet Master
 
mello mike's Avatar
 
1958 26' Overlander
Mesa , Arizona
Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 1,742
Images: 53
Floor Repair--Opinions Wanted

I had the dreaded rear end separation problem which was repaired using Airstream's official "elephant ear" method (done by Oasis RV in Tucson). While the separation problem was "fixed," the one problem with the floor was not. The worst and apparently the only area which suffered floor rot is directly center in my bathroom. See pic. You can see the patched plywood wedged in the C- channel and in the same pic you can see the gap between the patched plywood and the existing floor. When you step on the floor in this area the floor drops about 3/4 inch. At this point I see three options and wanted to get your opinions on what I should do next:

1. Scab a new piece of plywood in this area of the floor using metal plates underneath the three "floor" sides and the other end wedged in the C-channel.
2. Screw a metal support bracket above and underneath the old floor and the patched in plywood. I was thinking of gluing a small piece of plywood on the old floor to allow this type of repair.
3. Replace the entire floor in the bathroom.

Thanks in advance for your opinions.
Attached Thumbnails
Click image for larger version

Name:	P6130097.jpg
Views:	192
Size:	412.3 KB
ID:	82226   Click image for larger version

Name:	P6130100.jpg
Views:	188
Size:	371.9 KB
ID:	82227  

__________________
1958 Overlander
2011 Wolf Creek 850N TC
2011 Ford F-250 Crewcab (6.2L), 3.73RE

WBCCI #5661/AIR #5661/TAC # AZ-6
4CU 1st VP

My '58 Overlander Restoration and Travel Blog:
https://mellomikesairstreams.blogspot.com/
mello mike is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-13-2009, 02:24 PM   #2
Rivet Master
 
C Johnson's Avatar
 
1965 17' Caravel
1968 28' Ambassador
Prineville , Oregon
Join Date: Feb 2005
Posts: 1,201
Images: 326
Send a message via MSN to C Johnson Send a message via Yahoo to C Johnson
Hi Mike, In my opinion. The only real permanent fix is to replace the bathroom floor entirely. At least up the the nearest forward cross member. My reasoning is that it looks like the floor has been wet a few times and is 37 years old. The glue holding the ply together tends to loose its grip after being wet and over time.
__________________
AIR # 7276, WBCCI # 7276
Project 2k5
Life is a journey, not a destination
C Johnson is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-13-2009, 02:51 PM   #3
Rivet Master
Airstream Dealer
 
Inland RV Center, In's Avatar
 
Corona , California
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 16,497
Images: 1
Quote:
Originally Posted by mello mike View Post
I had the dreaded rear end separation problem which was repaired using Airstream's official "elephant ear" method (done by Oasis RV in Tucson). While the separation problem was "fixed," the one problem with the floor was not. The worst and apparently the only area which suffered floor rot is directly center in my bathroom. See pic. You can see the patched plywood wedged in the C- channel and in the same pic you can see the gap between the patched plywood and the existing floor. When you step on the floor in this area the floor drops about 3/4 inch. At this point I see three options and wanted to get your opinions on what I should do next:

1. Scab a new piece of plywood in this area of the floor using metal plates underneath the three "floor" sides and the other end wedged in the C-channel.
2. Screw a metal support bracket above and underneath the old floor and the patched in plywood. I was thinking of gluing a small piece of plywood on the old floor to allow this type of repair.
3. Replace the entire floor in the bathroom.

Thanks in advance for your opinions.
Mike.

The elephant type repair, factory approved or not, is a huge JOKE.

Typically the rear floor channel is also broken, and cannot be repaired unless it's removed and welded.

Then if you put everything back as was, the separation will happen again.

1. The rusted steel at the rear should be replaced.

2. The floor channel must be removed and welded back together.

3. Drop the 2 rear banana wraps so that you can access the outside of the frame just underneath the floor.

4. Add a piece od 2 x 2 angle a couple of inches long by welding it to the outside of the frame, underneath the floor, as rearward as you can, so that when the banana wraps are put back into place, they will hide those brackets.

5. Fabricate a couple of 1/4" or 3/8" steel plates that are quarter moon shaped, and about 6" long. Place those plates inside the floor channel at the frame.

6. Install 1/4" or 3/8 inch high quality bolts, thru the plate, thru the floor channel, thru the floor and thru the brackets that was welded to the outside of the frame. Add addtional bolts as above into the steel angle that you replaced, as well as the frame. Doing so, now provides a huge amount of extra hold down strength, that was never there before.

7. Of course if the rear floor was rotten, it should also be replace, and properly joined to the adjacent forward floor panel.

8. Now reassemble the interior or exterior rear plate and quarter panels, depending on which you removed to get at the floor channel.

9. When reassembling those parts, use plenty of 3/16 pop rivets, for additional strength. If you removed the exterior panels, those rivets will be hidden when you reinstall the rub rail molding.

10. Reinstalling the outside metal using olymic rivets is ok, just so that you used plenty of Vulkem sealer with them.

The above is a proper method to correct the rear end separation permanently.

I would like anyone, including the factory, to compare the above with the elephant ear repair method, and declare those two repairs methods are the same, and will give equal long term results.

Of course once the elephant ears have been cut, the rear quarter panels will always have that "what's this" appearance, unless you replace them.

The keys to the correct repair is repairing the floor channel, and adding the steel plates and brackets. That "CANNOT" be done, with the elephant ear repair, therefore it's a stop gap, not very funny "joke" type repair.

Since I am on vacation in Hawaii, I may have not mentioned a step or two. However, I think most folks would agree, the end results between those 2 types of repairs, cannot really be compared.

After I return, I will put together a drawing and or a photo. and post it.

As they say, a photo or drawing is worth a thousand words.

Andy
__________________
Andy Rogozinski
Inland RV Center
Corona, CA
Inland RV Center, In is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-12-2009, 08:50 PM   #4
4 Rivet Member
 
WILDRTEXAS's Avatar
 
1970 27' Overlander
ARLINGTON , TEXAS
Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 335
Images: 31
Send a message via Skype™ to WILDRTEXAS
Quote:
Originally Posted by Inland RV Center, In View Post
After I return, I will put together a drawing and or a photo. and post it.

As they say, a photo or drawing is worth a thousand words.

Andy
Andy do you have a drawings or photos. Forgive me if you still on vacation. Not sure when this Thread was started.
__________________
He is your friend, your partner, your defender, your dog. You are his life, his love, his leader. He will be yours, faithful and true, to the last beat of his heart. You owe it to him to be worthy of such devotion...

Taylor 1/20/96 - 11/28/08

WILDRTEXAS is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-12-2009, 08:57 PM   #5
Rivet Master
Airstream Dealer
 
Inland RV Center, In's Avatar
 
Corona , California
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 16,497
Images: 1
Quote:
Originally Posted by WILDRTEXAS View Post
After I return, I will put together a drawing and or a photo. and post it.

As they say, a photo or drawing is worth a thousand words.

Andy

Andy do you have a drawings or photos. Forgive me if you still on vacation. Not sure when this Thread was started.
Thanks for the reminder, as that trip to Hawaii was last June.

This coming week, I will put a couple of photo's together. with some drawings.

Sorry, about the lapse of time, but Hawaii does make a person forget many things, even nice things.

Andy
__________________
Andy Rogozinski
Inland RV Center
Corona, CA
Inland RV Center, In is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-12-2009, 10:06 PM   #6
4 Rivet Member
 
WILDRTEXAS's Avatar
 
1970 27' Overlander
ARLINGTON , TEXAS
Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 335
Images: 31
Send a message via Skype™ to WILDRTEXAS
Thank YOU!
__________________
He is your friend, your partner, your defender, your dog. You are his life, his love, his leader. He will be yours, faithful and true, to the last beat of his heart. You owe it to him to be worthy of such devotion...

Taylor 1/20/96 - 11/28/08

WILDRTEXAS is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-24-2011, 12:38 PM   #7
3 Rivet Member
 
1972 27' Overlander
Saline , Michigan
Join Date: Oct 2002
Posts: 189
Quote:
Originally Posted by Inland RV Center, In View Post
Andy do you have a drawings or photos. Forgive me if you still on vacation. Not sure when this Thread was started.

Thanks for the reminder, as that trip to Hawaii was last June.

This coming week, I will put a couple of photo's together. with some drawings.

Sorry, about the lapse of time, but Hawaii does make a person forget many things, even nice things.

Andy
Andy did you post your drawings, I would like to see them.
loechli is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Opinions Wanted - What Would You Do? mello mike Cabinets, Counter Tops & Furnishings 47 06-08-2012 12:42 PM
opinions on floor repair tbrom Repairing/Replacing Floor &/or Frame 37 11-11-2006 11:48 AM
Floor Plan Opinions Wanted (21' FlyingCloud) MarkR 1950-1955 Flying Cloud 22 09-25-2006 12:07 AM
Floor repair; in need of opinions. LuminumTraila Repairing/Replacing Floor &/or Frame 22 06-04-2005 02:51 PM
Opinions wanted till Tow Vehicles 9 07-15-2004 07:24 AM


Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Disclaimer:

This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Airstream, Inc. or any of its affiliates. Airstream is a registered trademark of Airstream Inc. All rights reserved. Airstream trademark used under license to Social Knowledge LLC.



All times are GMT -6. The time now is 10:24 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2025, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.